The use of financial incentives for crushing hits in the NFL may be more bountiful than previously thought.
Former wide receiver Cris Carter, who played for the Eagles, the Vikings, and the Dolphins, admitted this week in an interview with ESPN radio that he put bounties on opponents heads during big games, and knew of others doing so as well. Especially if he knew defensive players were targeting him, the former star receiver said he would “put a little change on his head before the game,” to be sure he would be protected well.
Carter’s comments suggest a wider use of the practice, which caused a seismic scandal for the New Orleans Saints with suspensions for players and coach Sean Payton earlier this year. He also said that he personally witnessed bounties being placed during the so-called “Bounty Bowl,” a 1989 Eagles-Cowboys game, lending credence to allegations that the NFL previously investigated but could not prove.
